


Liar's Gambit

by FrenziedLegion



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:20:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29379129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrenziedLegion/pseuds/FrenziedLegion
Summary: A simple what "IF"(that's a joke you see) scenario if Kokichi and Maki's encounter in Chapter 5 had gone a bit better and if he was more honest with Maki and Kaito.Spoilers for Danganronpa v3
Kudos: 3





	Liar's Gambit

_ Stay cool. Stay calm. Everything is working out just fine. _ This was a mantra that crossed over the mind of a particular individual. Kokichi Oma, The ultimate supreme leader, had a most peculiar plan. A plan to finish this awful killing game once and for all. He had put in tireless dedication and preparation into this plan and he had to carry it out, no matter what.  _ This plan of mine will work, it has to. _

Kokichi had done some less than honorable deeds in this game, but it was all done for the sake for all those that had died in this game so far. In his mind, the ends greatly justified the means. The time for the plan to finally unfold was coming to a head and with a strange feeling of uncertainty and fear. This was a plan that had an absurd amount of factors going into it, but the end goal was clear to him.  _ I better hurry this up. If my suspicions are correct, then Kaito won't last much longer.  _ After the fourth class trial, Kokichi had revealed the "truth" to his fellow classmates that he set up Gonta as a murderer and he enjoyed the killing game from the bottom of his heart. What followed was most interesting. Kaito Momota, the ultimate astronaut, had come to Kokichi to punch him, but he appeared to be much slower than before. This led Kokichi to multiple theories but the theory that stuck with him the most was that Kaito was sick, slowly dying. This forced Kokichi's hand; he had to kidnap Kaito as he too was essential to Kokichi's plan.  _ I should just get this over with. No point in just putting it off. _

As Kokichi had begun to walk towards the bathroom in the Exisal hangar, he heard a noise that caught him off guard. He looked towards the sound of that noise and saw someone in the shadows. A girl with long black hair with a weapon, a crossbow to be specific.

"Don't move Kokichi," the girl warned with a hard expression on her face. Her tone low, angry as if it was a weapon itself. "

Oh, so nice of you to join me tonight, Maki roll," teased Kokichi, trying to get under the skin of the ultimate assassin Maki Harukawa. Maki aimed the crossbow at Kokichi's face, her cold exterior radiating off of her. 

"This Crossbows' arrows are laced with a slow-acting poison and I will not hesitate to shoot it, Mastermind," Maki said coldly acknowledging Kokichi as the Mastermind of this killing game. The one that instigated the murders of each of the students that have died thus far. Many thoughts were racing through the head of the supreme leader.  _ Would Maki really be willing to kill me? Would she take that risk? _

"You're bluffing aren't you Maki," kokichi questioned. "After all you told me that you would prove me wrong. That you wouldn't kill in this game. Does that mean, that was a lie?"

Maki looked at Kokichi with nothing but contempt and hate. "The only reason why I'm killing you is to end this game," Maki proclaimed. 

"I will save everyone by ending this killing game. And besides, No one is going to miss you once you're dead." Kokichi had once thought the ultimate assassin was bluffing, now he wasn't even sure. "This is for Kaede," Maki exclaimed. "For Gonta… For Kaito. For everyone that you hurt this killing game ends now!" Now Kokichi was certain. She was going to kill him and his plan would be ruined.  _ No not like this. I've done too much for it to end like this. _

"Hold on Maki," Kokichi pleaded. "Let's just talk about this alright? This is crazy." Maki was about to pull the trigger when Kokichi felt a strange feeling, a moment of weakness. The mask had slipped for just a second but it was all that was needed. "I'm not the Mastermind," Kokichi claimed, causing Maki to hesitate for a second. "I'm not the Mastermind I swear!" Would Maki really believe Kokichi? Kokichi had lied to everyone this entire game, telling the truth in snippets here and there but nothing substantial. In the eyes of his classmates, he was nothing but a pathological liar. And yet Maki was having her doubts.  _ Kokichi is not that Mastermind? No, that's impossible.  _

"I see," Maki said, clearly doubtful of Kokichi's statement. "Just another one of your pitiful lies. Stubborn until the bitter end. How pathetic." Kokichi looked panicked. 

"But I'm not lying  _ this  _ time," Kokichi pleaded. "Me telling you all I was the Mastermind was just a lie." Kokichi was panicking, grasping straws. Hoping this was enough to convince Maki to not kill him. 

"Even if you aren't the Mastermind," Maki said with suspicion in her voice. "You are dangerous to everyone around us. You made Gonta a killer, revealed my true talent… kidnapped Kaito. Mastermind or not I'm taking you out, now." Kokichi had to think quickly or he would die an unfortunate death at the most inopportune time. 

"Wait I can prove I'm not the Mastermind," Kokichi claimed. "Just follow me." Kokichi started to walk towards the bathroom in the hangar where Kaito was held captive. His hands in plain sight for Maki to see. Kokichi opened the door to the bathroom much to Kaito's disgust. 

"The hell do you want Kokichi," Kaito questioned. "C'mon Kaito, don't be too cruel to me," Kokichi cried. "After all, I brought you a friend." With that said Kokichi backed away from the door Allowing Maki to walk in surprising Kaito. 

"Maki Roll," Kaito asked, confused by these recent developments. "Kaito," Maki cried out rushing to the aid of Kaito. The two embraced each other in a hug that lasted for a solid minute or two. Kokichi watched on waiting for the perfect time to interject. 

"Okay with that being said," Kokichi said, directing Kaito and Maki back to the supreme leader. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone for…" Kokichi took a sideway glance at Kaito. "About an hour and then I'll be back." Kaito looked at him in confusion. 

"What is going on here Kokichi? Why is Maki here? What are you planning? Kokichi looked at Kaito, his thoughts more clear. " I have a plan but beforehand I needed to gain Maki's trust," Kokichi explained. "And now you have an hour before my plan begins." And without another word, he closed the door to the bathroom and walked away.  _ One hour. I gave them one hour. Kaito better hang on until then. _

Inside the bathroom Kaito and Maki were talking to one another about the situation at hand. "So Maki let me ask you something," Kaito stated. "Why are you here at the hangar? It's nighttime isn't it? 

Maki looked down trying to break it to Kaito as nicely as possible. "I came here to kill Kokichi," Maki said plainly as if it were simple. Kaito looked at Maki in surprise. 

"C'mon Maki," Kaito said, disappointed. "You promised me you wouldn't kill anyone, not even Kokichi. 

"I know Kaito," Maki said pleadingly. "I thought if I killed Kokichi, the killing game would end. But something tells me that it wouldn't have. I don't think Kokichi is the Mastermind. Maki's words further shocked Kaito. "Well what makes you so certain," Kaito said with doubt in his mind. "When I was about to kill him he was panicking," Maki explained. "He seemed shocked and maybe somewhat disappointed that I was going to kill him. And then he brought me here, thinking this would make me trust him. Kaito took in what Maki was saying for a second before responding. 

"Well do you believe him," Kaito asked. 

"To be honest I don't know,” Maki replied. “This plan he mentioned has me worried. Between the insect meet and greet, supplying us with the weapons to clear the underground and him manipulating Gonta, I don't trust him really. And yet, this plan seemed very important to him, to the point he would plead with me to spare him to carry it out." 

Kaito listened on. "Well I think he's about to come back so be prepared for the worst," Kaito warned. 

"I will," Maki responded. As if on time Kokichi returned, electrobomb in hand. 

"Alright," Kokichi said, his expression serious unlike his more than usual playful nature. "It's been about one hour so it's time to get started." Kaito and Maki looked at each other awaiting what happened next. Kaito was the first to speak up. 

"Kokichi, what are you planning," Kaito demanded. "What plan do you have in mind?" Kokichi sighed, not believing what he was about to say. 

"You two are essential to this plan working," Kokichi exclaimed. "To put it rather simply, Kaito. I need you, To kill me. The response surprised Kaito and even made Maki widen her eyes but she remained silent. 

"The hell do you mean kill you," Kaito asked, not believing Kokichi for a second. "Quit screwing around. This isn't the time for you to be joking." Kokichi looked at Kaito, a stoic look in his face. 

"I've been thinking for a while," Kokichi explained. "Trying to figure out a way to throw the Mastermind, the TRUE Mastermind off-guard. Everything I've done this game has been leading up to this. Revealing Maki's true talent, making a Gonta killer, Controlling the Exials, kidnapping Kaito. All of this was merely preparation for my plan. Kaito looked skeptical. 

"Wait if you're not the Mastermind, then how can you control the Exials," Kaito inquired. "Oh that," Kokichi said shrugging off his question while taking out a remote. "This remote that controls the exials, I had Miu make it. Now as for this plan, it's rather lengthy so both of you pay attention." Maki and Kaito both glanced at each other and then looked back at Kokichi. "Maki, is there an antidote for that poison?" Maki looked confused by that question. 

"Sure, it's back at my lab but why would you need-" Maki was about to ask but Kokichi cut her off. 

"Then go back to the lab and get the antidote and bring it back here," Kokichi requested. Maki went without another word. A few minutes later she returned. "Perfect," Kokichi said, pleased by how fast she retrieved the antidote. "Okay so now to explain the plan in its entirety. Firstly, Maki will shoot both me and Kaito with the poisoned arrows." Maki and Kaito looked concerned but Kokichi continued. "Then Kaito will take the antidote and Maki will leave as her job will be finished. The reason for this is to make the others think that Maki is the killer and to obscure the true cause of death. Maki and Kaito nodded slowly, wondering what would be next. "After that," Kokichi continued. "Kaito and I will head towards the hydraulic press where Kaito will be in the press and I will be operating the controls. I will also be recording him being in the press as damning evidence. This works perfectly because of the press's special feature of recognizing living matter. Just before the press would crush him, He and I would switch places leaving his clothes in the press. Kaito will take care of my clothes by flushing them down the toilet, it should work. Then, Kaito will throw the electrobomb at the Hydraulic presses control panel thus disabling the safety controls for the press. He will resume the recording and finish using the hydraulic press… killing me. After that, Kaito will hide out in an exisal until after the class trial. Once Monokuma rules myself or Maki as the blackened, Kaito will reveal himself thus making Monokuma's ruling invalid;ruining the killing game. Maki and Kaito looked at Kokichi with convincing looks, Kokichi definitely thought this plan out. But a few questions lingered in the back of Kaito and Maki's minds. 

"Hold on," Kaito said. "Why would it matter if Monokuma was wrong about the ruling invalid? What makes you think it would end the killing game?" Kokichi looked at Kaito with a small smile on his face. 

"Monokuma has been such a stickler about the rules and I've always wondered why," Kokichi claimed. "I believe that someone else is watching this game. Not just Monokuma and not even just the Mastermind. I think there's a hidden third party somewhere watching this. After all, death games are meant to be watched. Monokuma accepted my motive for the killing game simulator you know. While he may have just done it because he's a sadist, I think he did it to make the game more interesting. To  _ please _ this third party." Kaito and Maki both thought about those theories.  _ A third party, where would that third party even be, Earth has been destroyed, hasn't it? _

"Well if that answers all of your questions," Kokichi said with a grimace knowing what would come next. "Let's get started then." Kaito was a bit hesitant. 

"Hold on I actually have one more question," Kaito said. "You were saying how you enjoyed this game the whole time and now you seemingly want to end it? What's up with that?" Kokichi looked away for a second. 

  
"Obviously, that was a lie," Kokichi said, voice quivering. "How could a game you're forced to play be fun? I had to trick myself into thinking this was fun. I had to lie to myself!" Kaito had a flashback to after the third trial when Kokichi was telling Himiko that it wasn't healthy to lie to herself that she should be honest with her feelings and let them all out.  _ And yet you were scared to do that yourself. You were just as scared as the rest of us.  _ Kokichi continued. "The Mastermind toying with our lives," Kokichi said, his voice breaking. "And the bastards watching this, they all make me sick. And that is why I will end this killing game, even if it will cost me my life. Maki and Kaito looked shocked at Kokichi's outburst trying to process all of this." Kokichi took a moment to compose himself. “I should probably say this before I die," Kokichi said as he gestured to Maki. "For the longest time, I didn't trust you. Even before I knew your talent. And after I knew, I was filled with nothing but hate and anxiety while I was around you. Maki looked surprised at Kokichi's confession but allowed him to continue. "And above all else, I figured you to be the Mastermind. But, the way you talked to me earlier, the fact you were willing to stake your life on the line for those who you love and care about, made me see the truth." Maki looked over at Kokichi wondering if he was telling the truth. "There is a specific group of people that I hate above all else. People who murder in cold blood without remorse. To put it simply, I hate murderers." Maki looked shocked at his testimony. "And yet, you're different. You decided to use your killing skills not for your own selfish desires, but for the sake of others. And that is why, I leave it all to you." Kokichi spread a smile on his face. "Plans do have a tendency to go wrong so, if all else fails, and Kaito is found out to be the killer, I trust in you to find the true Mastermind and end this killing game once in for all. Kokichi flashed them both with a smile of hope and trust. Perhaps this was the first time in a long time Kokichi had shared trust with someone and told them the straight truth.  _ I guess this is the end of my story then, I hope this will all amount to something. Good luck guys, I believe in you.  _ And that was the absolute truth.


End file.
